Race Recap - Fat burning

Since I have been on this diet of fats and vegetables, I haven't been really able to test out my real endurance. Last year I was not dialled in, so I messed up a couple of long events and the short ones was always just going well. This did not show me the possibilities I have in my body and I was still not aware of the high end results. 

I entered this 80km race near my house to finally test out my fat burning capacity. Superbly rocky terrain, I mean very very rocky ! You haven't seen anything like this if you did not come here. I am used to it as I train on it every single day, but when you pass 9hours plus on it, it just messes you up ! 

D+3500m of elevation gain, what is not monstrous, but on those sharp and snappy climbs it is still significant !

I kind of knew that we will be going out fast, so instead of a full fatty meal or one single fatty coffee, I reduced my fat intake a little bit and added in some carbs. I had a packet of "Ambronite" (review is coming up soon http://ambronite.com) with 216kcals of carbs, 72kcals of protein and 162kcals of fat. I also drank my coffee with a 1cm thick butter slice, a normal tbsp of coconut oil, 2 tbsp of flax seed oil and a raw egg, then sprinkled a full heaped teaspoon of cinnamon on top ! 

1tbsp heaped of chia seeds - around 10grams soaked in water for 20minutes

I had 5 gels with me all of them around the 60kcals mark. I actually got some free samples from the French brand Meltonic - http://www.meltonic.fr. Most of their ingredients are certified organic, what is also good to know! It is 100% honey infused with stuff like propolis, royal jelly, ginseng, guarana, big chunks of rock salt, acerola and spiruline, magnesium. 

They are superbly high in nutrients, easy to swallow, does not cause any stomach issues and works just fine ! I liked them really. For the next time, I am gonna make some for myself in a small gel flask. Get some high quality low centrifuged, raw organic honey, heat it up a little under the sun and add some salt, propolis, royal jelly and stingy nettle powder. 

All together not surpassing the 310kcals ! 

I had these all along the way when I felt like getting it. I knew the course, so 10 minutes before each climb was a good tactic.

All together I never exceeded 600kcals taken in during the race. I think it was even closer to the 510 or 530kcals. For 80kg, using the 1g of carbs per bodyweight in kg per hour equation, I should have consumed 80 x 4 = 320kcals an hour ! That would be 2925kcals for the 9and a half hour race ! 

The thing is, that I felt good, with no sugar lows or sugar highs. I had no stomach rumbling, no farting and no bloating. I had no hyper or hypoglicmique reactions, I was conrolling my cramps with my mind as I was in focus and I just felt 100% present ! I accepted the pain in my feet, instead of ignoring them or get overwhelmed by it ! I was capable of doing this race differently and be on the podium, do a 2hours faster time and race for that first place, but how would the season would have continued ? I am not sure. 

9:30 something finishing time, what is not so bad. I was running with no watch, to just feel and be present. I met a friend on the way as he caught up to me. We finished together. 15th and 16th place, jogging in hand in hand out of 180 ! The morning temperatures were great but the afternoon sun started really hammering us, so I was glad that I took the visor to protect my head and face. Watering the scalp was necessary all day. 

Now, 6 days after the race, my legs are just pulling me out every day to run ! Already ! I want to go, I am motivated ! I still wait that one week limit and will start Monday, but I am already cycling and doing light strength and conditioning. 

I accepted the offered food at the race finish. Good or bad, I don't care I was getting hungry and it looked very good. I choose gnocci what are italian flour, cheese and potato noodles in tomato sauce and parmesan on top with a french vanilla flan. I drank like 2litres of salted sparkling water while walking home from the race, with no pain. 

I prepared a huge herbal infusion of thyme and stingy nettles and ate a full table of dark chocolate, with two handful of almonds. 

At the evening, I had a big salad with roasted chicken liver and an egg. Next day I felt tired, I went to work and was waiting for the afternoon blues and leg pain to kick in. Never came and as the days progressed, instead of having my muscular fatigue getting worst, I am feeling better and better and more and more recovered ! 

This week I quit the 5am routine for a 7day period to sleep in with no alarm what so ever, just get in that 9 to 10hours every single day. I am however continuing my morning coffee and fat routine. Big fatty eggy coffee when waking up, next meal just 6hours after. I still have a cold shower once or twice a day, I am doing my morning mobility every day and the Wim Hof style breathing every day. I had my record actually the day after the race. 1:50min breath-hold with no air and 3:50 with air. I need to practice this more as I think in just one month of daily focused practice I could be well over 4minutes ! 

Next Monday I will get into a 2 week aerobic build up with a lot of sprinting to build strength into my achilles and start a 3 weeks of anaerobic phase, before we hit the slopes of corsica ! It will be epic ! 

PS: before stepping over your base build up, include 2 weeks of sprinting workouts where you still not exceed that 180-age heart rate. Maybe 3 times a week. One on the track, one uphill and one on a single track technical trail section. This will prepare your posterior chain for the upcoming torture of 400s and tempo runs and uphill anaerobic efforts !